The average Brit will consume 3.5 million calories from booze over a lifetime

Group reporter

The average Brit will consume a staggering 3.5 MILLION calories over a lifetime - in BOOZE alone, a study has found.

Research revealed in a typical month, they will enjoy eight pints of lager or beer, nine glasses of wine and three glasses of bubbly, racking up 4,918 calories in the process.

That means they will consume the equivalent of 12 roast dinners or nine Big Macs in alcohol alone.

Gary Conway, co-founder of Skinny Brands, said: "With the festive season very much upon us, Brits are most likely indulging in glasses of fizz and plenty of pints meaning their calorie count is quickly adding up.

"It's so easy to have one after another and quickly forget what each drink really contains, which is why we thought it's time to find out."

The study also found Brits favour a glass of red wine over anything else, and as the most calorific wine choice over white and rose. It's no wonder the tally is totting up.

Beer closely followed as the second favourite followed by white wine, lager and cider in third, fourth and fifth position.

Stereotypes reign true as the study also revealed four in ten men don't believe they could give up alcohol for good compared to a third of women.

Over half of men admitted they couldn't ditch the drink because they love the taste too much with 57 per cent agreeing they enjoy socialising with a pint.

An equal number of women favour a little tipple because it helps them to relax, with just under half confessing they couldn't lose the booze as they enjoy the taste too much.

The research, conducted via OnePoll.com, also revealed 85 per cent admit to being clueless around the calories they consume from booze, with millions of Brits thinking a pint has less than half the calories it actually contains.

On average, adults believe a pint has 17 calories fewer than it does and think a glass of wine has 28 fewer than the actual number.

This underestimation is the equivalent of 4,656 calories a year - the same as eating 35 bags of ready salted crisps.

Just over one quarter of the nation will go as far as to limit their eating habits to make up for what they expect to indulge in during their weekly drinking habits.

And over a third will find themselves opting for diet drinks as a result of being conscious about the calories in their booze.

Gary Conway added: "We've seen incredible demand for drinks that don't compromise on flavour or alcohol content, but have less calories even though most people don't really know how many are in a standard pint or bottle.

"Whilst some people will opt for cutting down the calories in January, we've had some great messages from customers who are simply going to choose Skinny Brands Lager this Christmas and get a head start for the new year."